Features 25 Jun 2024

Debrief: 2024 ProMX Rd5 Murray Bridge

Overall winners Webster and Larwood recall fifth round in South Australia.

It was a third overall win in a row for Boost Mobile Honda Racing’s Kyle Webster, as he claimed victory at round five of the 2024 Penrite ProMX Championship at Murray Bridge with a dominant 1-1 scorecard. In MX2, it was a popular win for Alex Larwood in his home state with Froth Honda Racing, the South Australian’s 2-1 scorecard earning him his first round victory of the season. MotoOnline caught up with the Honda duo after the races for this Debrief interview.

MX1

Image: Foremost Media.

Kyle, congratulations on the win here at Murray Bridge. It feels like we are saying that a lot lately… Take us through both motos here today.

The first moto was kind of the first race this year where I’ve had a little bit of space, which was nice. I’d say it kind of made the race feel a bit longer because I was riding around by myself. But the second moto just felt like all the others so far this year, where it’s just been hectic from lap one. I honestly can’t ask for too much more, the track was nasty and it was hard to navigate the lappers. Talking to Jed [Beaton] after the moto, he was saying that with the lappers, he kind of got stuck in the same places I got stuck.

What were your thoughts on the layout here at Murray Bridge and how it formed up?

Yeah, I like it. It was soft in spots but still had that really hard base, which was good. It got super rough and it felt like the track was really high-speed, especially that back section. It slowed down a bit from this morning and got pretty rough, which was good, cause I think if it’d stayed as fast as it was it would’ve been scary. But for the most part, I really enjoyed it.

You gained a few more points in the championship again, does that give you a bit more comfort leading into these next few races?

Seven points, it’s nicer than one, but it’s still not massive [laughs]. I feel like we’re just taking it race by race and trying not to think about that as much. I feel like I was more nervous about that when I first got the red plate, but now it just feels like it’s race by race, honestly. We still have three more rounds and six motos to go, so there’s plenty more racing to do.

Last year we thought we were going to see you line up at Southwick for the AMA Pro Motocross and it didn’t happen. It’s this weekend, are we in?

I’m heading over to race Southwick and RedBud. I fly over tomorrow and fly back straight after RedBud. I’ll be racing with the Fire Power Honda guys – I’m really lucky, they’re going to take the truck and stuff there for me and build me a bike for it. The team are in a kind of down period right now, so we’re going to head there now. I’ll get to Los Angeles and spend a few days there just to break the trip up a little bit… I’m not 100 percent sure that I’ll get to ride before Southwick yet, but I’m hoping that I do.

It’s hard to put a gauge on it, but as an expectation for yourself over there, what are you going to be happy with?

Honestly, I don’t know. There’s nothing to reference the speed to, so I really don’t know. I genuinely don’t know, I think that it’s going to be hard to learn how they do it all and whatnot, but I think once we get to the motos we’ll get a bit more familiar. I’d love to be up in the mix, but I genuinely don’t know [laughs].

Regardless, it must be a massive bucket list item for you. To be able to tick that off, is there excitement now?

Yeah, excitement has been there for a while. I’ve always wanted to go and race [Southwick], since I was a kid I’ve wanted to go and ride there. So, I think that it’s good that it came this year, and not last year. I wasn’t really up to speed last year, so I think that it’s good that I waited, I’ve definitely got more under my belt this year and I’m in a better position to go and do it, so I’m excited. It’s going to be awesome.

Well mate, congratulations once again. Good luck to you, we’re all excited to see how you go over there.

Thank you!

MX2

Image: Foremost Media.

Alex, congratulations mate. Overall win for you here at round five, take me through it.

The day was pretty much as I expected. You know, another home round for me, a lot of family and friends here. So, it’s good when they come and you feel like you’ve got that bit extra in your step. But nah, I felt good all day, I was second in qualifying and then second in that first race. I knew it was going to come down to the last race with myself and Brodie, and unfortunately, he went down in the second turn. I capitalised on his mistake and just rode my race and yeah, got the job done. I’m stoked.

I feel like the last few rounds for you, you’ve really been building since that injury. You’ve got that moto win, you’ve been up there, the podiums are there, and now obviously you’ve ticked off the win. Is it almost full circle coming back from that injury?

Yeah, definitely. It’s been a bit of work to get back, it’s not easy coming back from injuries and going straight into racing. We’ve done a few [local] races between the last few rounds, and we’ve just been building that confidence a little bit. But, I’m definitely heading in the right direction and looking forward to the remainder of the season.

Like you said earlier, home track for you. How far from here do you actually live?

About three hours. So it’s still a fair way. But, I rode here a lot as a junior, but since I turned senior and moved to Victoria, I haven’t been here. It’s good to be back though, and hopefully, we can see it on the calendar next year as well.

What are your thoughts on this layout?

I actually really liked it. There were a lot of passing opportunities I thought, especially down the back with the big fast straight and the whoops. They’ve done an enormous amount of work here, and I know the club didn’t really sign up to have it here, but then they got the call up and they took it on board, and I think they’ve done really well. So hopefully everyone gives some good feedback and we see it back next year.

The series moves on to Queensland now, with a lot of hard-packed tracks coming up. What are your thoughts on finishing this up in Queensland?

I’m actually excited. I haven’t been to Toowoomba this year, but I rode there a few times last year. I’m looking forward to getting back there, and QMP and Gympie. I haven’t actually raced those track, but I’ve ridden them and I’m excited to race there.

Congratulations once again, we’ll see you in a month’s time in Toowoomba.

No worries, thank you.

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